Germany in May 2026: the most important developments in politics
In May 2026, the strength of the AfD was the main story in German politics. The party led a poll in Saxony-Anhalt, reached a record 29 percent in one national poll, and was reported to lead the CDU/CSU by five points in another. It won a mayoral election in Zehdenick, Brandenburg, its first such win in the state, and led a survey in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. A Berlin court ruled against the AfD over an illegal donation from Austria, and it lost official group status in the Stuttgart city council. Parties continued to disagree on how to deal with it: Jens Spahn rejected cooperation, former Schleswig-Holstein Minister President Torsten Albig suggested the SPD cooperate, and the FDP was divided.
Chancellor Friedrich Merz marked his first year in office with mixed reviews and falling approval. He ruled out a minority government or new elections. He was booed at the DGB trade union congress in Berlin when he presented reform plans involving pension and healthcare cuts, and the CDU/CSU and SPD agreed a coalition roadmap while differing on tax reform. Late in the month, reports of discussion about replacing him as candidate were followed by public backing from Spahn and several state premiers.
Relations with Washington were strained. The US announced a troop drawdown from Germany, likely to exceed 5,000 troops, and Merz and President Trump clashed publicly over Iran policy. Merz advised against travelling to the US and acknowledged communication problems, and President Steinmeier called the Iran war a disastrous mistake.
On Ukraine and Russia, Vladimir Putin proposed former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder as a mediator, which the EU and the German government rejected. Merz proposed associate EU membership for Ukraine, with mutual assistance obligations but no voting rights; Volodymyr Zelensky called it unfair and insisted on full membership. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius visited Kyiv, and Germany summoned the Russian ambassador twice over what it described as threats.
by WorldBrief & Maksim Micheliov | AI-generated summary
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